ARLINGTON, VA — The Arlington County and Falls Church Commonwealth's Attorney's Office plans to ask a court to convene a special grand jury to investigate the fatal police shooting of a 33-year-old man inside an Arlington 7-Eleven in May.
Commonwealth's Attorney Parisa Dehghani-Tafti announced Thursday that her office will seek the special grand jury in connection with the May 8 shooting that killed Shawn Valn. The office said the unusual step would allow for a comprehensive examination of the evidence surrounding the officer-involved shooting.
A special grand jury functions as an investigative body and can determine whether probable cause exists to support criminal charges. It can subpoena witnesses, employ experts and issue other subpoenas while working with the Commonwealth's Attorney's Office on an investigation.
The shooting occurred after Arlington County police were dispatched around 6:19 p.m. May 8 to Columbia Pike and South Monroe Street for a report of a disorderly person.
According to police, officers encountered Valn outside a 7-Eleven, where he produced a knife, ignored officers' commands and went inside the store. Police established a perimeter and helped customers and employees leave.
Police said their investigation determined that a woman had been entering the store when Valn approached and verbally threatened her. She went to the Office of the Magistrate, where warrants were obtained charging Valn with assault and obstruction of justice.
Valn barricaded himself in a back room, according to police. Officers and negotiators spent several hours attempting to resolve the situation and take him into custody.
Around 9 p.m., officers breached the back-room door. Police said Valn displayed a knife and two officers fired their weapons, striking him. A knife was recovered at the scene.
Valn was taken to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead. Two officers were taken to a hospital as a precaution and later released. They were placed on routine administrative leave under department policy.
The regional Critical Incident Response Team investigated the shooting, with the investigative file slated to go to the Commonwealth's Attorney's Office for independent review.
The Commonwealth's Attorney's Office said special grand jury proceedings are confidential under Virginia law, limiting what prosecutors can disclose about the evidence or issues presented to jurors.
The process of empaneling a special grand jury and conducting its investigation typically takes several months, according to the office. Prosecutors said they do not plan to release additional information while the proceedings are pending.
Although publicly announcing a request for a special grand jury is unusual, the Commonwealth's Attorney's Office said the circumstances warranted greater transparency because police shootings are among the most consequential interactions between law enforcement and members of the public.
"Our obligation is to determine whether or not the evidence establishes probable cause that a crime occurred," Dehghani-Tafti said. "Just as important is ensuring that the process is fair, independent, and worthy of the public's trust. A special grand jury provides a structured and impartial forum for a careful review of the evidence."
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